THE TOP 5 TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL DESIGN PROJECT PART 5: TRUST YOUR INTERIOR DESIGNER

We love when our clients are into their design project. We enjoy interpreting your ideas, concepts and business brand into an interior space that will best suit the look, feel and budget you have in mind. That’s what you hire us for, right? The last tip in our series on how to ensure a successful commercial design project: have confidence in your designer and trust them to do what they know.

Nature Factory put some trust into their designer, Makoto Tanijiri, when they suggested a plastic pipe forest to double as product display.

Tip #5: Trust your design team. Have a wish list, but be open to change.

A good interior designer will know how to take your ideas to the next level, create a cohesive project, and establish a functional space that promotes productivity and profitability. All of this requires that you put a little trust into your designer’s expertise and be open to their suggestions. There are many reasons you should trust the designer you have hired; we will outline some of them here.

Start with the Credentials
One of the first pieces of research you should conduct when selecting your interior designer is determining what their credentials are. If you are unsure of exactly what it is you should be looking for check out our post from our “How To” series How To Select an Interior Designer. For a commercial project you want to look for a Registered Interior Designer (RID); this means you are hiring someone with the highest level of recognition achievable for Interior Designers in BC and North America.

This alone should instill some trust in your designer. The process of education, experience and examination required to earn the RID designation is stringent and provides a high level of quality assurance.

Microsoft’s Vienna Headquarters shows that they trusted in INNOCAD Architektur’s expertise, allowing them to create a vibrant and dynamic space.

Experience Goes a Long Way
Another important piece of research to be done when selecting your designer is determining if the experience they have is suitable to your project. Often times a designer’s portfolio will speak volumes to this. If you liked the examples of their work that you saw it should give you some piece of mind that you have gone to the right place. And you can also bet that clients of those fantastic projects allowed the designer the freedom to creatively invent spaces that were unique to them.

Make Architects were able to illustrate the skill their experience has given them with the Weihai Pavilion.

Listen, Consider, Decide
Sometimes we hit you with something completely unexpected. A creative way of displaying product that you’ve never seen before, or an alternate solution to how your space could be laid out. Our best piece of advice when you have one of those surprise moments with your designer? Hear them out, listen to the reasons behind their proposal (and you know they will have many!), and really consider what it is they are saying before making a decision. A good designer will analyze their ideas from top to bottom before presenting them to you; by the time it gets to you there are a million answers to a million questions ready to go.

When you feel like you need some time to think about a direction your interior designer would like to take with your project, no matter how big or how small, a great response is something like, “I hadn’t considered something like this, give me a day or two to sit on it and I’ll get back to you”. No harm in that right? You can then roll it around in your mind, talk to your colleagues and friends, and make a decision once you have fully considered the options.

Graffiti Cafe by Studio MODE incorporates elaborate column and ceiling details that would have required trust from the client that something this intricate could be pulled off so beautifully.

Now, it’s also important that your designer is open to your feedback. This is a two way street and you shouldn’t feel pushed into anything you really don’t feel comfortable with, but we do feel it’s a good thing to push your comfort levels a little. Offering challenging feedback is welcome, as long as you are willing to hear the reply.

Be Willing to Push Your Boundaries (even just a little!)
We have already mentioned that pushing your boundaries and getting outside of your comfort zone can be a good thing. This is an excellent piece of advice for any and all areas of your life, but how does it relate to interior design?

As a business owner you understand that having a unique point of view is integral to your success and profit. What makes you different is what makes you stand out. This way of thinking should not stop at your procedures manual but should resonate in everything from your business cards and website, to your interior space. No matter what your business, your personality is important. Let some of who you are shine through and allow your designer to explore ways to create a space that is unique as you are.

What’s Good for You is Good for Us!
We will let you in on a little secret: Interior designers are often detail oriented perfectionists who are just as interested in providing you a killer space as you are. Upon project completion we, first and foremost, want you to be thrilled with your new digs; this means we have accomplished our goal.

Designing an interesting, distinct, functional interior for you only benefits us. Your project becomes part of our portfolio, helping us sell our services to other businesses. And you can count on your designer asking for a testimonial from a happy client as a means of assurance to potential clients. Providing you with the best environment we can is a win-win.

This may not have been what One Taste Holistic Health Club had in mind when they hired Crox International to design their space. We love the contemporary while natural and organic feel this health club has.

For your next interior design project take comfort in knowing that your designer is looking out for you and your business. Trust in them and they will not lead you astray.

We hope that you have found our Top 5 Tips for a Successful Interior Design Project helpful and informative. All the best on your project!

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